How Do Personal Injury Lawsuits Work?

If you’ve been injured in a no-fault car or motorcycle accident, or you’ve sustained injuries during a slip-and-fall, you may be wondering how personal injury lawsuits work.

Personal injury lawsuits are a bit different from other types of legal proceedings, because in this type of case, the injured party will need to show that another person (or business entity) is legally liable for the harm they suffered.

For example- a person who slips, falls and hits their head on concrete flooring at an auto parts store, because store employees failed to clean up a container of spilled motor oil, is likely to have a case. On the other hand, a person who slips and falls in the store parking lot, because their shoe was untied, would likely be laughed out of court.

You may have limited time to file

If you’ve spent any time watching Law & Order, you’ve likely heard the phrase “statue of limitations.” This refers to how much time you have, after the incident, to file your case.

If you were hit by a car and you broke your arm, you’ll have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit. If that time runs out before you get around to filing, you’ll be out of luck.

The statutes of limitations for personal injury lawsuits are often established by state law, so you’ll want to speak with a personal injury attorney to find out what the rules are in your area.

It’s best not to negotiate a settlement on your own

One of the biggest mistakes that people make in personal injury cases is that they try to negotiate a settlement on their own. In some instances, they’re concerned they won’t be able to afford an attorney.

What they don’t realize is that there are many personal injury lawyers that will take cases on contingency. When a law firm agrees to take a case on contingency, they are agreeing that their fee will not need to be paid until when and after the case is won. If the case is not successful, the client will not owe anything.

Speak with a Naples Florida law firm today

If you’ve been injured as a result of a no-fault accident and you have additional questions about how personal injury lawsuits work, call The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A. today to schedule a free consultation.

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